So, what are you drinking tonight?

CHENNAI: While whisky has been voted as the most preferred alcoholic beverage in the country, according to an industry specific analysis by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, Chennai displays a rich vibrancy in its choice of drinks. While national statistics showed that 80 per cent of the 6,700 million litres of liquor sold through authorised liquor shops annually in the country was whisky, Chennaites drinking trend varies from one end of the bar menu to the other and has a strong bearing on factors like gender, age, class and social status.“Most of my friends who drink, including myself, prefer beer to any other liquor,” says T Jagadeesan, a city college student. “One, it’s pocket friendly as you need not spend on mixer drinks and heavy snacks and two, you can regain your senses once you step out of the bar and go home safely leaving no clues for your parents to guess,” he smirks. The ASSOCHAM report has in fact mentioned that beer made from malt was popular among the youth and its consumption was expected to reach 2.4 billion litres by 2012.R Shiva Prasad, a copy editor with a leading website in the city has seen it all. His transition from beer to whiskey was what he calls a slow graduation since his entry into college. “As we progressed to the final year, we switched over to vodka,” he says. “Many students are caught by  parents for drinking when they go home after having a beer. That does not happen with vodka as it does not leave a pungent smell like beer.”“Since lots of research is being published, time and again in the media on benefits of moderate drinking, I do not feel threatened being a social drinker," he adds.Jayesh Mukundan, a  HR professional with a leading IT firm swears by his white rum. “I have tried all available drinks, but I prefer white rum to all of them,” he says. “White rum allows you infinite combinations; you can mix it with fruit juices, coffee liqueur or tender coconut to make a great drink. It also leaves you fresh the next the morning without a hangover.” Anasuya Kumar, an IT employee is of the similar opinion.“I always stick to vodka or white rum as it is said to be the ‘girls’ drink and because the choice of cocktails available for vodka is much more than any other drink.”But diehard fans of whisky are not hard to come by. T D Sajan, a marketing professional vouches for blended and single malt scotch.“The scotch tasting experience, the smoothness, the caramel taste and slow high that you get after downing a couple of pegs is something unmatchable,” he says. “When its whisky, it’s got to be scotch,” says Sajan who boasts of having tasted most of the leading single malt and blended scotch brands.But what is the aam admi’s drink? “There is no better combination in this world than a peg of brandy and a half-boiled egg,” says Jaiganesh, an  auto driver from Choolaimedu. “Brandy tastes great with even plain water and the high is more robust and predictable than whisky,” he claims like an expert.